Harry Potter and the mysterious Vixen
by Tara4
Summary: RE-WRITTEN. Harry's seventh year is full of surprises. (H/OC, R/HR, eventual D/G)
1. bumping into you

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am back, yes, that is correct, Tara is back. I decided to give myself a break for a little while in order to let myself clear my head. Now, I have a few ideas for a few really good ideas for some new fics.  
  
You may get a sense of Dejavu (or however it is spelt) when you read this fic because I have tried uploading this fic before. But it has had a make over this time, an extensive make over, and now it is what it is now. I hope you like it.  
  
This fic has seen a lot of trouble for me, why, because it has been a pain in the ass to write and even worse to get out there in the public. I wrote it last December after finishing reading all of the books. Then I realised how crap it was and put it aside on the shelf. I wrote another fic (Hero) and then Decided that I should give this one another try. I uploaded it, got no reviews, and then my computer died and I lost all of my chapters. So third time lucky.  
  
Any who, this is a Harry/OC story with Ron/Hermione and Draco/Ginny on the side.  
  
And people who have read my other fics will be glad to know that with this one, I used a spell checker (I don't trust beta's, I am a little Paranoid)  
  
DISCLAIMER - I own none of the charters in this except for Vixen, she is mine, and the rest belong to Rowling.  
  
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Chapter One  
  
The bright oranges, blackening blacks and the soft twilight purples reflected off of the surfaces of the bright red steam engine as it puffed and hissed to a slow stop. In it's carriages, it held students, large quantities of students, all ready for the new school year. Nervous and excited first year students all sat still with anticipation, each dreading the countless minutes before they began their magical educations.  
  
At the other end of the spectrum were the older, more mature Students, the seventh year students, each filled with an anticipation of a different kind. They all knew it would only be a matter or months, less than 12 to be exact, until they were out of the Hogwart's halls forever and into the wide wizarding world. Some wanted the time to go quickly, whereas others wanted the time to stretch out for as long a possible, because the wizarding world is a large, dangerous place.  
  
This group of seventh years knew first hand what it felt like to be in danger. They had all lived through the second rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort. They had lived the last 6 years in fear, and was still living in that same, gut wrenching fear, because the dark lord was yet to be defeated. He had gone into hiding once again, and was gaining his strength, biding his time. No one, not even the ministry of magic's best investigators, knew when he would strike again.  
  
The empty and quiet train station soon erupted into waves of shouts, chatter and giggles as the students left the Hogwarts express. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins alike all joined the packs of students, pushing and shoving their way towards the horseless carriages or boats that took them to the castle.  
  
Towards the end of the train, in one of the last carriages, a passenger stepped off of the train. Pausing a moment to take a deep breath of the fresh, clean air, 17-year-old Harry Potter looked around the gaggles of students, each in their own hurry to get to the castle.  
  
He took in the sight before him. He could see the flickering orange flames of the candles in the windows of the castle that had just been lit, preparing for the arrival of the students. Harry felt calm here, he was finally home. Hogwarts would always be his home. The old, drafty, haunted castle would always be more of a home to him than his real home ever was, living with muggles who treated him badly. But then again, Harry realised, that any place away from the Dursley's would feel more like home to him.  
  
But it was with great sadness that he entered his seventh and final year of school. It had gone so quickly. Harry smiled to himself, it only felt like yesterday that Hagrid had come to the tiny little shack on the rock, knocked the door off of it hinges, and announced that Harry was a wizard, That had been the one of the best days of Harry's life.  
  
But he was 17 now; almost a legal wizard, and he knew that all good things had to come to an end at one point. The upside to this being his final year, however, was that when the year was over, he could legally move away from the horrid Dursleys, and live by himself somewhere. Making his own rules, and being his own person, in a place where no one would treat him any differently. He could finally live in a world where he would not be different because he wasn't different, a world where wizards were seen as normal people.  
  
He sighed and tried in vain to flatten down his messy hair. People had said over the years that he had grown into his body, but he had never managed to outgrow the chronically messy mop of hair he had supposively inherited from his father. It always seemed to be in his eyes, or sitting up in the air like the wind had caught it. Never was it just neat and tidy.  
  
But the rest of him was definitely more mature than it had been, even before the summer. He still seemed to be growing, He was taller now, still not as tall as Ron, but he was tall, a nice height, definitely not the shortest in his year level. He had a nice amount of muscle for some one his age. It was something that he got from all of the years of quidditch training and manual labour that the Durley's made him do on his school breaks. He looked healthy and mature, and that was all he really cared about.  
  
His eyes were still exactly the same, and he was glad that they would never change. His bright green eyes that reminded every one of his mother. But recently, mainly over the last few years, there had been something else about his eyes, something strange. Harry had even noticed it in himself before any one had ever commented on it. Some days his eyes looked haunted, full of pain and sorrow. Everyone understood why though, because it is not easy being the boy who lived.  
  
Harry had never asked for any of it, but it had all been given to him regardless, the pain, the sorrow, the loss, the responsibility and obligation. If Harry ever had the chance, he would give it all back in an instant. He never asked to be the boy who lived, he never asked to be every ones hero but he had gotten it all. His life was still filled with sorrow that a lot of people couldn't even begin to fathom. He had gone from a little boy, trapped in a world by the evil that was his uncle, to being a little boy who was being trapped in another world by the evil that was his arch nemesis, Lord Voldemort.  
  
Harry had been forced to grow up quickly; he knew he had no choice but to grow up. And it seemed that even just days after he had been told he was a wizard, he had grown many times his age. Unexpected or unwanted responsibility can really change a person.  
  
Harry was still felling the pain of his responsibility. Every time some one mentioned Voldemort, he felt it, every time that some one mentioned his parents, he felt it, and ever time, some mentioned any one else who had lost their life in the battle of good and evil, he felt the pain then to.  
  
He had gotten word from Dumbledore and other members of the order of Phoenix that Voldemort had been gaining power again and was likely to make an attack some time that year. The obligation that Harry felt over the whole thing was almost killing him.  
  
It was a lot for a 17 year old to take on board. For a while it had felt to him like he had the weight of all the wizards all around the world resting on his shoulders. He just wanted to be himself, to be Harry Potter, no ones hero. At some points, when the pressure got really bad, he even wanted to be back at 4 Privet Drive, in his little cupboard under the stairs.  
  
But he knew he would not change his life for anything or anyone. He was Harry Potter, Wizard in training and the legendary boy who lived, and he would always be that, so there was no point dreaming of change. He had to embraced his destiny.  
  
Harry had a feeling about this year. Wether it was a good feeling or a bad feeling, he was yet to work out, but he had a feeling that some thing big would happen to him that year, so he was approaching the year with a nervous anticipation, just like a lot of the other students. He would take each day as it came, he would accept what ever the world had to offer him, and he would just prepare, and some how anticipate, for both good and bad.  
  
So, with one last steadying breath of fresh air, Harry stepped forward, and moved to join the messes of students on the short journey to the old castle.  
  
"Hey, Potter, forgetting something?" Ron Weasley called from the doorway of the train. Harry turned back and smiled sheepishly at Ron, who was carrying both of their bags.  
  
Ron had changed over the years also. Wether those changes were for the better, was yet to be determined. But there were a few things that Ron had taken into his stride. For the last few years, Ron had been the only Weasley at Hogwarts, the twins had left and Ginny had gone to stay with her brother Charlie, so she too could get some hands on training in caring for magical creatures. Transferring into the Romanian institute for the wizarding arts had been one of the most exciting things in her life, and she enjoyed it there. It was obvious to all the Weasley's that she had no intention of coming back, not for a while anyway.  
  
Ron liked being the only Weasley at Hogwarts, because there was less competition for him. He didn't have to worry about outdoing the others; all he had to do was worry about staying out of trouble. That in itself was alot harder than people realised.  
  
Ron had just finished a summer apprenticeship at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and was returning to the school with pockets and trunk filled to the brim with jokes and untested merchandise. The twins had asked him to use some of them, to test them out and get back to them with the results. Ron had liked the idea of this, and the twins liked the way that he worked. They were even discussing the possibility of giving Ron a full time job after Hogwarts.  
  
Ron was one of the tallest students in his grade. He towered over his mother and even over his father. He was the same size as Bill apparently (Harry hadn't seen Bill in a few years so he couldn't exactly compare the two siblings). The red in his hair had toned down a little bit, becoming an unusual and unique shade of brown with natural copper streaks. He had muscle also, just enough to make his size look natural.  
  
"Don't worry mate, you know I would never forget about you" Harry replied, smiling at his best friend. Ron chuckled and shook his head.  
  
"Not me you great prat, I don't care if you forget me, but your bag weighs a tonne" Ron smiled. Harry laughed and made his way back to the door, where together the two boys pushed and pulled the two large trunks through the narrow doorway, with very little success. .  
  
"I am quite sure, that is you tried hard enough, there would be an easier way than this," a voice from behind them said. Harry and Ron both turned to behind them to shoot an annoyed look at Hermione Granger.  
  
Hermione stood, leaning casually against the doorframe, her arms crossed against her chest. She wore her usual, 'I-know-better' look. Shaking her head at the boys, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. It was long and still messy, but now it seemed that her hair was messy in an endearing sort of way. It didn't look as frizzy as it had been, but the strands still layed around her face in a hap hazard way.  
  
As you would suspect, Hermione had grown up to, but the number of people who really realised was low. She still hid behind her books and intelligence, and the others left her to it. But her stubborn determination had infact come to some good; she had been named this years Head Girl.  
  
"Oh, Is that so is it, then, enlighten us, Miss Head Girl, how do you suppose we manage to get it out of here?" Ron asked. Hermione smirked.  
  
"Turn the trunk on its side" She replied, Ron scratched his head and then realised she was right. Ron shot her an annoyed look. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at him. She watched, keeping her laughter to a minimum as the boys grudgingly turned Harry's trunk on it side and moved it freely through the door, and then did the same with Ron's.  
  
When they finally made it onto the platform, Ron and Hermione both took the time to take in their surroundings.  
  
"It is really good to be back" Hermione smiled. Ron groaned.  
  
"And of course you would say that, little miss head girl. You are glad to be back because you are the queen of this place this year, and Harry is the quidditch captain." Ron began.  
  
"Well, you know. If you were to apply yourself than maybe you could get better marks, and if you were to get better marks, then maybe you could have been made a prefect this year" Hermione replied. Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione's predictability.  
  
"Gee Hermione, we haven't even been back on the Hogwarts grounds for less than ten minutes, and you are already lecturing me about my marks, a least let me fail something first.and anyway, why would I want to be a prefect, as the twins used to say, being a prefect takes all of the fun out of life...they were not prefects, and they are doing well with their lives arnt they?" Ron smiled. Now Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's predictability.  
  
Harry walked beside them quietly, listening to Hermione and Ron's banter. This was another thing he missed about school when he was on holidays, his friends. The Dursley's wouldn't really let him out of the house so he didn't have friends there, and they wouldn't allow Harry to use the telephone to call them. Sure, they did allow Harry to spend two weeks at the burrow at the end of each summer (they liked to get rid of him early) but other than that correspondence with his friends was limited.  
  
But now he was back with his friends at the place that he felt most comfortable, and he was looking forward to the many Dursley free months that were to come. No more waking up to Uncle Vernon banging on his door of a morning, no more cooking and cleaning and being treated like his aunts personal house elf, and finally, Harry would be able to eat, as much and when ever he wanted, with out Dudley reaching across the table and stealing his food.  
  
Ron and Hermione were still arguing when he turned back to the conversation. It seemed that for the last 6 years, all Hermione and Ron did was fight. Harry had a theory that underneath it all there was something so much more than just arguing friends. Of course, when Harry told Ron that, he denied it profusely, but Harry had almost a six sense about his two best friends, there was something else between them, some thing they were either hiding really well, or were not to realise yet.  
  
"You are insufferable" Hermione exclaimed slapping Ron on the shoulder softly. Ron was laughing at her, so Harry could only guess that he was back to his old tricks with her again. Harry chuckled at them and kept walking.  
  
The platform was slowly beginning to empty as the students all flooded towards the horseless carriages and boats, which took the students to the school. Towards the front of the train, however, some students were still exiting the train.  
  
Harry moved slowed down as a scared looking first year went scuttling across his path to catch up with Hagrid. Hagrid caught his eyes and smiled, Harry smiled back at the half giant. Harry had always felt a rare connection with Hargrid, they were so much alike with out really being anything like each other. They both knew what it was like to be stared at, but for different reasons. They both knew what it was like to be ignored by people, and even worshipped by some. They both knew the wrath for Draco Malfoy, and they both knew what it was like to be accused of being the Heir of Slytherin. Hagrid and Harry had both spent so much time alone in their lives, that he soon had come to consider Hagrid as a member of his family.  
  
When Harry looked around again, he realised that Ron and Hermione were gone. He stood tall, to look over the heads of the other students, and saw them continuing towards the end of the platform. They hadn't realised that he had stopped and had kept moving through the crowd.  
  
Harry began to weave his way through the slight thickness of the crowd in order to catch up with his friends. He zigged and zagged through the diminishing masses of people, gaining as much speed as possible.  
  
Not watching where he was going, Harry didn't see the other person until it was to late. The remaining people erupted into laughter as Harry and the person he had just knocked over hit the platform hard. Harry looked up and blushed at the other students, and then looked down.  
  
He was laying on top of the person he had knocked down, which made him blush more. The girl smiled up at him. Harry took a deep breath when he saw her smile; she had one of the nicest smiles that he had ever seen.  
  
"Although this may be seen as a really nice way to begin a school year, do you think that maybe you could let me up now?" The girl asked. Harry blinked, letting her words sink in before he blushed again and began to move.  
  
"I am sorry" Harry told her sincerely, holding out his hand. She accepted it graciously and brushed some of the dirt off of her clothing.  
  
"That is ok, we all make mistakes" she smiled at him, that smile melted Harry's insides again. He smiled goofily back and then helped her pick up her things again. The girl smiled back at him and they both reached for the same item.  
  
He had to say something more to her. He felt really bad for knocking her over, and he also had a strange need to get to know her. At that point, he knew nothing about her, just that she was beautiful, long, golden blonde hair was framing her face, and she had the most amazing grey eyes.  
  
"I am really sorry again" he told her nervously, not really knowing what else to say, she smiled at him, Throwing her bag over her shoulder. Suddenly, her smiled disappeared.  
  
"I should really go" The girl told Harry, who nodded sadly. It seemed like the opportunity to get to know her was slipping through his fingers very quickly.  
  
"Will I see you around?" he asked, the girl shrugged and disappeared into the crowd.  
  
"We go to school together don't we?" came her hurried reply. Harry smiled, and then moved to pick up his own things. Only then did he realise that Ron and Hermione were back. Ron had tears of mirth in his eyes; he had obviously laughed his ass off with the rest of them.  
  
"Thanks, you are really helping Ron" Harry smiled.  
  
"Hey, no problem" Ron replied, chuckling, Harry laughed to, he couldn't help it.  
  
The crowd had begun to move again, and the girl was long gone. Harry stood on his toes and peered out over the moving sea of people, trying to catch a glimpse of the girl. She was beautiful. He wished he knew a little more than just that, a name, or even which house she was in.  
  
"Do either of you know who she was?" He asked the others, both of them shook their heads.  
  
"Maybe she is a new girl" Hermione shrugged, Ron shot her a 'duh' look.  
  
"Oh Hermione, you are so smart, I don't think any one else could have worked out that if we have never seen her before she would be a new girl!" Ron shot sarcastically. Hermione gave him an evil eye, and was just about to reply, when she was cut off but a noise that none of the trio had missed over the holidays.  
  
"Move out of my way Potter, you wouldn't want to be knocked over.oh wait, you already have been" Draco smirked. Harry sighed. Was Malfoy seriously going to start on him this early in the year, in front of the Head Girl no less?  
  
"Just, don't start Malfoy" Harry replied. Draco smirked again, and Crabbe and Goyle, the brainless bodyguards, both sniggered.  
  
"Why, scared of being humiliated?" he asked, Harry shrugged.  
  
"I am just not daft enough to fight in front of the head girl" Harry replied. Draco smirked, and looked at the Head Girl badge on the front of Hermione's robes.  
  
"I had heard that they made a mud blood the Head Girl," He drawled. Hermione had to hold back Ron so that he would not explode when Draco made the Mud blood comment.  
  
"You are just jealous that you are not head boy" She replied. Draco practically snorted.  
  
"I am quidditch captain, that is enough for me" Draco smiled cruelly in Harry's direction.  
  
"And how many Firebolt 5000's did your father have to buy the team for you to get the honour Malfoy?" Harry asked his rival. Draco's blood was visibly boiling.  
  
"Least I have a Firebolt 5000" Draco replied, "I am still not riding a plain old Firebolt"  
  
"Pure talent doesn't need a flashy broom" Hermione replied. Draco smirked yet again.  
  
"You wouldn't know pure talent if it hit you in the face Granger" he replied casually. Hermione smiled sugary-sweet at him.  
  
"And you wouldn't know what is felt like to have a soul" she replied. Draco took a menacing step forward.  
  
"Draco, lets just go, it is not worth it" Goyle told him, Draco took a step back and looked from Ron, to Harry and then finally landing on Hermione.  
  
"You are right, She is not worth it" He replied, and then, with an over exaggerated turn, resulting in the billowing of his cloak, Draco and his cronies continued on their way.  
  
"That was odd, Malfoy has never backed down from a fight before" Ron remarked as the three of them continued to the carriages.  
  
"Maybe he has changed" Hermione said. The three looked at each other, trying desperately not to erupt into endless, hysterical laughter.  
  
They failed miserably.  
  
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I would really appreciate your input and feedback. Do you love it, do you hate it, do you want to murder and shish Kebab me? Tell me in your reviews.  
  
My mum read this chapter and she said compared to some of my other work, it is really more matured. I would really appreciate it if you could give your opinion on that also.  
  
BIG NOTE TO PEOPLE.  
  
In my little break, I finished writing a few of my unfinished fics and even came up with some cool sequel ideas, so STIR CRAZY WILL BE FINISHED SOON. MALFOYS REVENGE (which may have a name change to Escape) WILL BE FINISHED. I am also writing a sequel/companion piece to ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME. 


	2. But whats in a name?

Aloha!!!  
  
Hi, I have another chapter. I am so sorry that it is taking so long for me to update all of my fics recently, but I got my first Christmas present and I have been obsessed with it lately.  
  
Yes, that is right I m a now the proud owner of Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the rings, extended special DVD edition!!! Isn't my mum the coolest for buying it for me.  
  
Any who, not just that, but it is also test time, so, I found the time for this fic, hope you enjoy  
  
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The wax dripped silently, slowly down the cylinder which held the wick. The heat at its tip generating enough power to dwindle the power of the fresh new candle. The orange flame sent ghostly shadows over the books and quills, parchment and ink that was scattered across the old, hardwood table of the Hogwarts library.  
  
The library was silent except for the usual sounds of Hogwarts at night. A tree branch scratched against the window in the corner, one of the old chairs was creaking under the weight to its occupant, and somewhere, some one was tapping their fingernails against a desk.  
  
But Harry sat silently, an old, musty, frail book in his hands. His attention, however, was not on the book. It was on anything other than the book. It was on his ink bottle, which was new at the beginning of the school year, but now, at the end of the first week, it was already a quarter gone. His attention was on the candle, which was dripping down onto the holder that it was sitting in. But most of all, Harry's attention was fixed on her.  
  
The beautiful blonde that had taken his breath away. The girl he had literally bumped into at the train station. The girls whose name he still did not know.  
  
It seemed that the mystery woman was really just that, a mystery. Every one he asked seemed to know nothing about her, or, if they did know something, they seemed scared to admit it.  
  
He wished he knew something about her, anything. Something to stop himself from going crazy. He wish he knew what her name was, or what house she was in. But most of all, he wished that he had made a better impression on her at the station.  
  
This girl was haunting him. Every time that Harry closed his eyes, he would see her steel grey eyes looking back. Every time he would see the sun, he would think of her strong, golden blonde hair, and how it framed her face so beautifully. Every time the wind was gush past Harry, he would think of her light laugh.  
  
Ron had been laughing at his love sick ways for a week now. Harry knew that he would have to either met this girl properly or get her out of his head before long. It would only be a matter of time until Ron would stop being the supportive best friend, and start to get annoyed with him.  
  
Maybe getting over her would be the best thing that Harry could do. No matter how much he wanted to know this girl, he knew it would be useless because she didn't seem to even exist.  
  
Maybe she didn't exist; maybe she was just a figment of his imagination. A very nice figment of his imagination, but a figment of his imagination all the same.  
  
Any way, now was not the time for this. It was his final year of his education, the year that could make or break any young wizard. He needed to focus; he needed to get his head in the work. He needed to spend all of his time and effort on his school work, and on his quidditch. They were the things that he knew mattered the most to his life and his future, so that was what he was going to concentrate on.  
  
Harry had also spoken to professor Dumbledore about learning a few more powerful spells and hexes, arguing that no body knew when Voldemort may strike again. Dumbledore, fortunately, had agreed. It had been a theory brought forward by the ministry that Voldemort would want to fight Harry when he was a fully trained wizard, in order to have an even and fair showdown (as even as fighting an evil dark lord can be). If their theory was correct, then Harry had a year to train and prepare.  
  
He knew there was no way that was enough time.  
  
But that was another thing that Harry chose not to dwell on. There was nothing he could do to stop Voldemort attacking, but there was lots he could do to fight back.  
  
At the current time, however, something more urgent was attacking him. He sat in the quiet and secluded desk in the corner, with a pile of transfiguration books scattered across the table. He had to hand in a roll of parchment by Monday on why it is hard, and also against the law, to transfigure a hair pin into a jousting lance. The subject was not as easy as it sounded.  
  
The scattered books were doing very little to help him with his quest for information. None of the books seemed to tell him anything he didn't already know and had already written about. He had another three quarters of a roll to write.  
  
For any other subject, he would have just made something up. But this report was for McGonagal. She would never let anyone get away with some thing like that. Even if they were Gryffindor.  
  
The candle dripped again, and Harry looked down at his watch. It was getting late, almost nine thirty, and he knew that soon he would be asked to leave the library anyway. He was making no progress, so he stood, gathered the old dust volumes, and moved back to return them to their rightful shelves.  
  
The rows of books were darker and maybe in some ways scarier than the remainder of the library. The isles caused by the bookshelves were lit by floating candles at regular intervals. He looked around, looking for the correct place to put the books, but also in a place where they could be easily found the next day, when he came back to do more research.  
  
Suddenly he stopped. Tucking all of the books under one arm, he brought his now free hand to his forehead. He had gotten a sharp pain in his scar. A pain that was usually a warning sign to him. But as soon as the pain started, the pain stopped again.  
  
Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. That was odd, yes, it had never happened like that before, but the pain was gone now. Harry took a deep breath, rubbed his forehead again, and decided to go straight to Dumbledore after he had put the books away.  
  
Something knew flooded his senses however. It was like music, a soft humming, coming from some where near him. Harry turned, and looked to one end of the corridor of books, just as she entered it.  
  
Time slowed down as soon as he realized who it was. It was the girl from the train station. The beautiful blonde haired, grey eyed girl.  
  
She was yet to see him; she had her face buried in an old edition of a potions book. Harry stood still, just watching her as she moved gracefully towards the potions section.  
  
"Umm, hi" Harry smiled as she approached him. The girl smiled and snapped her book closed.  
  
"Hello Harry" She replied. Harry looked at her strangely.  
  
"How do you know who I am?" He asked her, she smiled at him, a carefully moved her index finger to his forehead, tracing the lightning bolt scar that had made his famous. Just moments before, the scar had been tingling in red hot pain, but now, now it was just tingling. The skin on the girl's finger was soft and delicate, and her touch on his face was almost feather light  
  
"You would have to be living under a rock, for the last 15 or so years to not know who you are Harry Potter, you are a legend." She smiled. Harry sighed. Although he didn't agree with what she had said about him being a legend, he did enjoy listening to her speak. He voice was just as gentle as her voice, but there was a current of some thing else lying in her tone and pitch. She sounded angelic, but Harry realized that her voice would change completely if she was to be angry with some one.  
  
"Sorry, I some times forget, the mania has died down a little over the years" Harry smiled. It was true. Occasionally there were times when some one would recognize him and shake his hand, there were even times when people would realize who he was and insult him, but recently, people had been leaving him alone. It was no longer such a big deal to be Harry Potter. Harry had a feeling that all of that would change again soon. But at the moment, everything was calm.  
  
"You forget that you are famous.I think that I would to. It just seems like to much work" She smiled at him as they walked together to the transfiguration section, carting Harry's books with them.  
  
"So, do you have a name? Or should I just call you angel" Harry asked, and he immediately regretted it. That would have to down in history as one of the dumbest things to ever come out of Harry Potter's mouth (and that was saying a lot, since a lot of dumb things came out of Harry's mouth.) Harry looked at the mystery girl nervously, but she was chuckling. Harry felt a little more at ease, even though he was cursing himself silently.  
  
"Harry, are you trying to hit on me?" She asked, Harry chuckled.  
  
"That depends on weather or not I have got a chance" Harry replied. The girl laughed again. That laugh, the laugh that Harry was fastly falling in love with.  
  
"You have no chance, but it is not because you can't flirt well" she informed him.  
  
Harry sighed "I have no chance, huh? Can I ask why?"  
  
"We are two different people Harry, and I am sorry, but that is the way that it has to be" She told him, rather sadly.  
  
Harry looked around, and something caught his eye. The patch on her Hogwarts robe, green and silver. Slytherin.  
  
"Is this because I am in Gryffindor and you are in Slytherin. Because if it helps any, the hat wanted to put me in Slytherin" Harry told her. He couldn't believe that he had just told her that the sorting hat in his first year had been unsure on its decision to put Harry in Gryffindor. He had never even told any one that, not even Hermione and Ron knew of the hats decision.  
  
"This has nothing to do with out houses Harry. This has everything to do with us.and the fact that there will never be an us" She replied, replacing her potions book in the potions section on the library, and then moving to her table on the other side of the library to pack all of her things into her bag. Harry quickly ran back to his desk and threw all of his things haphazardly into his own bag. He made it to the door just as the mystery girl did.  
  
"Are you stalking me?" She joked.  
  
"If I was, would you explain to me what the hell you mean by everything that you just said?" Harry asked. The girl sighed.  
  
"It is a very very long story Harry, and I don't have time to explain it all to you now, in fact, I don't want to have to explain it to you at all, so, lets just forget that we ever met and get over it" She told him, Harry sighed.  
  
"I am going to find out sooner or later you know, don't you think that you would rather it if you told me yourself instead of letting me hear it though the Hogwarts grape vine?" Harry asked. She sighed.  
  
"Either way you are going to hate me when you find out the truth, so really, what difference does it make?" She asked.  
  
"I could never hate you!"  
  
"You say that now"  
  
"And I mean it" He exclaimed, his words bouncing off the walls in a distorted echo.  
  
"Listen Harry, you sound like a really nice guy, and you have always treated me really nice in the.well, two times we have ever spoken. But we are just too different for anything to ever come of it, so please, just leave me alone" She told him, and then moved to walk off down the hall.  
  
"Can I at least have a name?" Harry asked  
  
"You already have one" She replied, laughing.  
  
"Very funny, your name, or do I have to keep calling you angel?" Harry asked. She stopped and turned back to him.  
  
"Don't call me angel, because the truth is, I am the so far away from being an angel" she told him.  
  
"Then can I at least your name, I promise to stop calling you angel" Harry smiled. "Come on, what harm can a name do?"  
  
"A lot if it is my name. My name seems to be my curse, and once you find out who I really am, then, well, it will be your curse to" The girl told him.  
  
"Then just your first name, and I will leave you alone" Harry bargained. The girl stood, and thought for a few minutes.  
  
"Vixen.My name is Vixen"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N  
  
Ahhh, finally the title makes sense.  
  
ANYWAY  
  
Fool of a Took, review this time and inform me of my stupidity!!! 


	3. Am I a distraction?

The table was covered in parchment, rolls and rolls of parchment. Hermione had surrounded herself with as many books and parchments as possible, studying and going over her notes from the first week of school.  
  
It was part of the seventh year study plan that she had set out for herself over the holidays. Hermione had evaluated all of her activities and planned other events, and then organised them, put them in the order of importance, and then worked her study times around the things that she knew were unavoidable.  
  
Saturday evenings was one of her set study times. Saturday evenings when every one else was doing other things, when the common room was relatively quiet. This was a time when she could do any home work that she had not managed to finish during class time, and also a time to check over her notes, making a list of things she wished to research further.  
  
She sat at the table in the corner, completely enthralled with the parchment in front of her. She was so enthralled, that she didn't even realize she was being watched.  
  
Ron was watching her from the big, comfortable lounge chair on the other side of the room. He had settled down earlier, with his potions book, completely intent on doing some studying himself. But his own text book had been discarded hours ago, and now, he was just watching her.  
  
He watched her as she moved her parchments, books and quills around the desk in an anal-retentive, organized fashion. He watched her as she silently went over the things they had learnt over the last week. He watched her, with conflicting emotions.  
  
He had to admit he was impressed with her ability to sit and study for what seemed like days at a time. She had unbelievable stamina when it came to school work. She would sit, her quill gliding across the parchment, and she would not emerge from her state of academic bliss until the rolls parchment was filled.  
  
Ron sometimes envied that. He wished he could just sit there and work like that, but he was to hyperactive. He would never be able to sit for longer than 10 minutes with a book, especially if there was something more fun that he could be doing.  
  
He also looked at Hermione and thought that she was crazy. Hours and hours on end, wasted (well, he thought they were wasted) by school work. There was no point, really. Well, Ron didn't think that there was any point. Because what could you learn from a book that you couldn't learn from experience.  
  
They would do potions classes, and every class they would make a potion. Why? Because it is easier to learn things by doing, not just reading. Test the theories, not just learn them. That was Ron's way of thinking.  
  
But Hermione liked to read it all, she liked to know what she was learning before she came into the classroom. They had agreed to disagree on the subject of education so long ago, they both had their opinions, but they didn't agree.  
  
He respected her opinions, but he didn't necessarily think she was right.  
  
He had no more energy to fight with her about it anyway. If felt like her had been fighting and arguing with Hermione for the last seven years. It was fun to fight with her; he would always be the first to admit that she got some sort of satisfaction out of fighting with Hermione. He liked the way that sometimes all he would have to is say something simple, and then, it would be on for young and old.  
  
They never seriously fought though; they would only pick fights over the silliest little thing. They never said anything hurtful to one another, and they never intentionally hurt any ones feelings. It was just the way that their friendship worked.  
  
"Hermione" He began, but Hermione didn't pull away from her parchments.  
  
"Hermione!" He tried again, and she still didn't move. "HERMIONE"  
  
This time, she looked up at him, scowling slightly.  
  
"What?" She asked, dipping her quill back into the ink pot.  
  
"Why don't you take a break, you have been working hard for the last few hours." Ron offered. Hermione smiled slightly at him, it was nice of him to offer, but she didn't really want to take a break.  
  
"No, thank you" She smiled.  
  
"Oh, come on Hermione, all work and no play makes Hermione a dull girl" Ron replied. She smirked.  
  
"And all play and no work makes Ron fail the seventh year" Hermione replied. He chuckled, and stretched out on the lounge.  
  
"Ok, just so you know, the offer to share my couch is open" he told her, she laughed and went back to work.  
  
It were only a few more minutes of quill scratching before the noise stopped, and Hermione came to join him on the lounge. Ron chuckled, and moved his feet so that she could sit down beside him.  
  
"I knew you would come to me" Ron smiled in a muggle movie villain voice. Hermione laughed, and slapped his shoulder softly.  
  
"Yeah, cos it is all about you and it has nothing to do with the fact that my hand is cramped up from writing so much" Hermione replied. He shrugged.  
  
"Believe what you want to believe Granger, I know the truth" Ron smiled again. Hermione just laughed again. Hermione liked the way that Ron could make her laugh. After so many years of fighting, he could still make her laugh.  
  
"Why do you have to start working straight away Hermione? You are making me look bad." Ron smiled, stretching his legs out in front of him and resting them on the coffee table. Hermione smiled and copied his stance, resting her feet beside his.  
  
"I just want to make sure that I don't fall behind in any of our classes" Hermione began, biting her bottom lip. Ron couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face.  
  
"Hermione, it is the end of the first week back and you are all ready 6 weeks ahead of the rest of the class. I am sure you can take it easy" Ron replied.  
  
"I am just ... Scared, that's all" Hermione whispered. Ron looked at her, slightly confused. He had never heard Hermione say she was scared over anything like school work.  
  
He had often seen her worried, he had seen her on edge, he had seen her extremely happy about it all, but Ron had never seen her scared about schoolwork.  
  
"What do you have to be scared for?" Ron asked softly. Hermione sighed.  
  
"I don't know I am probably being silly" Hermione admitted. Ron placed his hand on her arm and smiled at her.  
  
"You have nothing to be scared of, you are the smartest witch this school has ever seen, and you know everything about everything.." Ron began softly. Hermione nodded and allowed his words to flood over her. He was right; she really had no reason to be concerned.  
  
Ron had moved closer to her on the seat. Hermione looked up at him as he shifted slightly, their legs coming to rest against each other. He still held Hermione's arm in his, his fingers slowly stroking across her soft skin.  
  
She didn't know if she should tell him to stop, or if she should just let him continue with what ever he was going to do. The feelings that Ron enticed in her were amazing, they were new and fresh and exciting.  
  
Deep down in side, Hermione had always felt something for Ron, but she never understood what it was, she never realized that it could ever be anything more than friendship. They would fight and they would joke but she had never really thought of Ron in a boyfriend type of way.  
  
But now they sat together, him still touching her arm softly. They sat in silence, while Hermione demanded answers from within herself. She wanted her internal questions answered.  
  
She wanted to know why she was not pulling back from him. She wanted to know why she was allowing him to do this to her. She wanted to know why Ron had suddenly gained enough courage to do this. She didn't understand why something like this felt so right.  
  
But the number one question that plagued her was did she really want this to happen.  
  
Ron gave her no time to answer the question. Because his lips lightly pressed against hers, rendering Hermione's mind unusable. He just pressed his lips to hers for a few seconds, giving her time to push him away in disgust if she wanted to.  
  
She never did.  
  
It was one of the biggest surprises in the world to both of them when Hermione was the one to escalate the kiss. She parted her lips slightly, and licked at his lip, begging for entrance.  
  
She wanted to test these new feelings that he brought around in her. She wanted to experiment with the way he made her heart beat fast in her chest. But she also wanted to know if he was feeling any of what she was feeling.  
  
Ron was feeling that much and so much more. Hermione was kissing him. Hermione Granger, the smartest and prettiest girl in the whole school was kissing him. It had not been his intention for this to happen, but now that it was, he was happy.  
  
The second his lips pressed against hers, something awoke inside him. Something that had always been there just had been hibernating for a while. That something was his feelings for Hermione.  
  
He had feelings for Hermione, strong feelings, feelings that had his heart thumping harshly against his ribs.  
  
His world had been turned upside down in a matter of seconds; he had gone from talking to his best friend to kissing his best friend. He had gone from loving Hermione as a friend and now he loved her as so much more.  
  
Ron had been looking for something all his life, but he never thought that he would find that something in Hermione. He never thought that something that he had been searching for all these years could have been hiding right under his nose all this time.  
  
He didn't understand what was going on with Hermione, or with himself, but he was a teenager, he wasn't really supposed to know. But he did know that he liked it, he was enjoying it now, and he hoped that he had the chance to enjoy it in the future.  
  
But could a transition from friends to lovers ever be smooth for them? Ron could have guessed that the answer would be no. Nothing was ever smooth for them, nothing ever went their way.  
  
And this was not going to be going Ron's way either.  
  
He felt the light pressure on his shoulders, carefully pushing him away from her, separating their mingled lips. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, and she looked away from him.  
  
Ron settled back into the cushions of the chair and began to silently mentally bash himself. Why had he been so stupid, he had probably just ruined his relationship with her, nothing would be the same between them ever again ......  
  
.... Hold on a minute, his brain rationalized, she kissed you back.  
  
Hermione was yet to look back at him; she was still glancing across the room, suddenly very interested in the tapestry that was on the wall. Ron sighed silently.  
  
Should he say something to her? Should he apologize, even though he didn't think what he did was wrong? All he knew was that he had to do something, because the silence was killing him.  
  
"Hermione, I am sorry" he said softly, she turned back and smiled nervously.  
  
"You did nothing wrong, this was as much my fault as it was yours" Hermione told him. He nodded, only because he had no idea what else to do. He needed some sort of gesture, some sort of way of showing his emotion. He needed a way to tell her that she was as confused by this as she was.  
  
"Hermione... What does this mean now?" He asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.  
  
"Well, umm, I don't know, you said before that I know everything about everything, but I don't, because I don't know how to deal with this" Hermione admitted, gesturing between the two of them.  
  
"Well, it could mean that I like you ..." Ron began. Hermione blushed slightly. "It could mean that you like me to"  
  
"I do like you Ron...." Hermione told him.  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I don't think this is a very good idea, I don't think us is a very good idea, not now" Hermione replied sadly. Ron had almost expected her to say something like that.  
  
"Can I ask why?" He asked softly. He didn't know why he was torturing himself with the details of his rejection, but part of him wanted to know.  
  
"Well, look at where we are in our lives Ron, we are almost 17, we have our whole future to prepare for.." Hermione began, she had to stop when she saw Ron's face, he looked oddly hurt.  
  
"I am not a part of your future?" he asked, she sighed. Hermione was confused, she hated being confused, she liked to have control over things, but she did not have control on this situation.  
  
"I can't answer that Ron, I don't know how to answer that" She admitted. He didn't necessarily like that answer, but he wasn't going to push it.  
  
"I am head girl this year, and we have to concentrate on our exams, I can't let myself become..distracted" She told him. Hermione sighed, she was not managing this well.  
  
"I am a distraction?" He asked, Hermione nodded, but then stopped herself.  
  
"Unfortunately yes" She replied.  
  
"So, are you just going to hide yourself away so you can't get distracted?" He asked, Hermione sighed.  
  
"I don't know...I don't know what I want" Hermione admitted. Ron reached out and brushed a lock of her frizzy brown hair behind her ear.  
  
"Then how do you know that you don't want me?" he whispered.  
  
Once again, Hermione was faced with a question that she could not answer. The way she saw it, she had two options, one, she could just stand and leave, maybe ruining one of the strongest friendships she had ever had, or two, she could just jump into his arms, allow herself to become distracted by Ron, and seriously have problems with her education.  
  
But he was right, how did she know that she didn't want him. Deep down she did want him, she had only ever wanted one other thing in the world as much as she wanted him.  
  
That other thing was a good education and a good job. Could she really allow Ron to stand in the way of what she really wanted?  
  
No, she would never let anything, or any one, jeopardize her future. No matter how much she wanted him.  
  
Hermione, taking all of the strength that she contained in her body, stood.  
  
"I am sorry Ron, maybe it is best if we pretend this didn't happen" She told him. Ron sadly nodded and watched as Hermione stood, moved back to the table, and put everything back into her bag.  
  
He watched her quickly as she moved swiftly, making sure she had not forgotten anything. Hermione flung her bag over her shoulder, and then, with out looking at Ron, she moved to the stairs.  
  
He knew he had to say something, he had to tell her how he felt, he couldn't just let her walk out with out knowing that. He had to tell her, because he had to end the conversation on his own terms.  
  
"Hermione, I think I might be in love with you" He told her.  
  
Hermione paused on the stairs as soon as he heard Ron talk. She paused, but did not turn back to him. He wasn't going to.  
  
Because Hermione didn't want him to see her cry. 


	4. Many Meetings

Vixen could feel some ones eyes burning into her skin, some one's merciless gaze intensely burning into her flesh. Vixen knew who it was, because he had been staring at her when ever possible. Every time she had looked up, her gaze had met his. She was flattered, but a part of her also wished he would stop  
  
Looking up from her breakfast again, she looked across the room; Harry Potter sat, and stared at her, unhopefully. Vixen stared back at him, a soft smile spread on her lips before she looked away.  
  
She knew that she shouldn't be encouraging him by smiling at him. But she couldn't help it. Harry was a really sweet guy, he had always been really nice to her and from what she knew of him, he was nice to everyone.  
  
She had been warned against Harry Potter. True, the people who had warned her had not been the most sincere and trustworthy people in the world, but she had been warned against him all the same. She had also been warned against Ron and Hermione, and although she was yet to meet them, she knew they would be pretty cool people to.  
  
Vixen had been told that Harry was the lowest of all scum. Vixen could straight away tell that that was bullshit, because the person who had told her really was the lowest form of scum. But she didn't say anything to prove them wrong; it was too dangerous to defy them.  
  
It was to dangerous to defy any one in her life, she had been hit and beaten by others more times than she cared to remember, by the people in her life who were there to love and respect her. It was too dangerous to have an opinion in her world.  
  
It was especially dangerous to have an opinion on Harry Potter.  
  
And she did have an opinion on Harry Potter, she had a strong opinion. She thought that he was nothing like what people said he was. There were a few different points of view when it came to Harry, but hers was that he was nothing special.  
  
Well, he was something special, but nothing special all in one. Sure, so he had defeated the dark lord a few times, that made him special, but he was not some cover boy, he was not some angel in the centerfold.  
  
He was just a boy.  
  
Just a boy who had come across a few problems and made them solutions. Just a boy, who, with the help of his friends, had faced the fears of so many people, and made the world a safer place, He was just a boy who didn't ask for any of it, but got it all.  
  
Harry Potter was just a boy.  
  
She knew it sounded clichéd, but to her, Harry Potter was just Harry. Just plain old Harry, just a boy, and nothing else really.  
  
He was a kind sweet boy, with a great sense of humor and a killer smile. But he was just a boy.  
  
A boy who was still staring at her. She looked over at him again; he was smiling at her, and even risked a wave. Vixen gave him a quick nod, but couldn't bring herself to look away.  
  
His green eyes were burning into her grey eyes. And in that moment, she wanted to talk to him. She wanted to tell him everything that she was thinking and feeling. She wanted to tell him the truth about herself, the painful truth about why she was strange around him. Vixen wanted him to know, because he deserved to know the truth.  
  
She guessed he would find out soon enough, and he was right, she should be the one to tell him, not the grapevine.  
  
Seventh year Slytherins and Gryffindors had potions together this morning, she guessed that she could tell him after class, then she tell him the truth, she could have everything out in the open, and then, it would be up to Harry to make the next move.  
  
"Good morning Vix" The voice startled her out of her thoughts, Vixen looked up at the owner of the voice, but she really didn't need to, she would have recognized that drawl anywhere.  
  
"Draco" She replied curtly. He smirked at her and took a seat beside her, reaching for food. Crabbe and Goyle sat down on the other side of the table, blocking Vixen's view of the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Come now Vix, don't be rude" Draco replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her body against his side "Is that any way to treat me?"  
  
"I don't know" She muttered, she didn't have the time or the energy to fight with Malfoy that morning. Looking across at the Gryffindor table, Harry sat, looking confused.  
  
Draco still had one arm wrapped around her shoulder. She shrugged and the arm dropped. Looking over at Harry again, she saw that he was not watching her, he was talking to Hermione. It seemed like he was ignoring her. This meant, he had not seen her shrug Draco off of her. Things were turning out bad, because she already knew what he was thinking.  
  
"Umm, I have to get going, I want to stop by the library before potions" She told the boys before standing and collecting all of her books. She started to walk away from the table when his voice called her back.  
  
"Hey, Vixen, where is my hug?" Draco called. A few of the slytherin table laughed, but everyone in the room heard him. Harry looked across at the slytherin table, wanting to know what was going on.  
  
Vixen moved back to Draco and wrapped an arm around his neck. To any one else in the room it would have looked like a hug, but Vixen and Draco both knew that she was cutting of his air supply. She moved her lips to his ear and whispered.  
  
"You are a sick loser Draco, Grow up"  
  
Then she released his neck and turned, leaving the great hall.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry watched as Vixen turned back to Draco and wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He watched enviously as her lips moved to his ear and whispered something to him.  
  
So that was her big secret, he thought, she was dating Draco Malfoy.  
  
Harry sighed and dropped his head to the table. Draco Malfoy, she was dating Draco Malfoy Vixen, his crush, was dating Malfoy. It all made sense now, that was why his conversation with her had been so cryptic.  
  
A few things still didn't make sense about what she had said, but now Harry understood her hesitance to be seen around him.  
  
He didn't want to believe it, but he knew that he had to believe it. It was a reality now, it was a nightmare, but it was reality. The girl he liked, the girl that he had not been able to get out of his head for the last week was dating some one else.  
  
But not just some one else, she was dating Malfoy.  
  
Harry could feel his heart splitting in two.  
  
Harry, after taking another deep breath, began to bang his head on the table in front of him.  
  
"Harry? Harry? What is wrong?" Hermione asked Harry stopped banging his head against the wood and looked up.  
  
"Nothing is wrong Hermione, everything is just peachy" Harry replied sarcastically.  
  
"It is that girl isn't it?" She asked "The one from the train station?"  
  
Harry nodded. "She just hugged Malfoy..they must be dating or something"  
  
"Maybe" Hermione replied and then looked up and down the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Have you seen Ron this morning?" Hermione asked nervously. She didn't know if Ron had told Harry about what had happened between them the night before, so she was a little on edge.  
  
"No, he said he wasn't feeling well and he didn't want any breakfast, he was just going to meet us at Potions." Harry replied. He suddenly realized that Ron had been acting strange. "Do you know what is going on with him?"  
  
"I am not sure, Listen Harry I am going to go to the library, there are a few things I want to read over before we go to potions. Just make sure you don't bang you head against the table any more, you will get a head ache" Hermione smiled before standing gathering her books and moving away from the table.  
  
Harry smiled, but he had nothing to be happy for. He had a bad feeling that today was going to be a bad day. Maybe even the worst day of his life.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The library was usually empty at this time of the morning that was why Hermione liked it so much. She liked having the place all to herself, liked it being silent, and liked the fact that she could find any book she wanted.  
  
That was why it was a big surprise when Hermione entered the library and saw that there was another pile of books on a table. Setting her own books down beside the other persons, she moved off to the potions section, looking for the book that she needed.  
  
The other occupant of the library stood at the potions bookshelf, a book open in her hands. Hermione approached the girl quietly, not wanting to disturb her. When the other girl did see her, they shared a quick smiled.  
  
"Hi" The girl smiled. Hermione smiled back.  
  
"Hello" Hermione replied, looking for the book that she needed.  
  
"Umm, you are Hermione Granger aren't you" The girl asked. Hermione smiled and turned to her. Hermione immediately recognized the girl from the train station. This was the girl that Harry liked.  
  
"Yes, I am" Hermione replied.  
  
"I am Vixen" She replied, holding out her hand for Hermione to shake. Hermione took it.  
  
"You are the girl that Harry knocked over at the train station" Hermione laughed, Vixen nodded. She had a feeling that Harry and his friends would always see her as 'the girl from the train station'  
  
"Yes that is me" Vixen smiled before looking down at her watch. "Oh, we have to get going, we have to get to potions, I hoped I would be able to read over the potion we were making before we had to go to class."  
  
"Oh, don't worry, It is a rather simple potion" Hermione smiled at Vixen. Hermione already knew the potion back to front. Vixen laughed.  
  
"Well, that is something I think you will learn about me fast, I suck at potions, it is my worst subject" Vixen replied. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I guess we all have a bad subject" Hermione told her "Me, I can't stand Divinations, I suck at that"  
  
"But you are good at all the other subjects" Vixen replied as they moved back to the table where her books were. Hermione smiled. Vixen was really nice, she was sweet and she seemed to be nothing like the other slytherins.  
  
"And you are head girl this year, congratulations" Vixen added. Hermione blushed. "Lets just say my father had a lot to say about that" Hermione chuckled.  
  
"Thank you, that accomplishment took a lot of hard work.. and a lot of sacrifice" Hermione admitted. Vixen smiled.  
  
"But sometimes things are worth the sacrifices we make" Vixen replied.  
  
"But when does a sacrifice become worth it?" Hermione asked sadly. She couldn't help but think about the whole situation with Ron. Things were just so confusing, and she didn't really understand anything anymore.  
  
"When we get what we want out of life, that is when it becomes worth it" Vixen told her.  
  
"But what if what you wanted out of life has changed?" Hermione asked. Vixen sighed and looked at Hermione.  
  
"Then you just have to work for the next thing that you want" Vixen replied. Hermione stood, letting Vixen's words sink in. It made sense what she was saying. She had gotten what she wanted, she was head girl, now she had to work for the next thing, taking each goal as they come and not resting until they became reality.  
  
She had reached one goal, and her next goal was Ron.  
  
Hermione then realized that she had dumped all of this emotional stuff on some one she didn't even know. Hermione looked at Vixen and smiled.  
  
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to dump all of that on you" Hermione replied.  
  
"It is alright Hermione. It seemed you needed to get some things off of your chest" Vixen replied. Picking up her books, she smiled at Hermione again "I don't have many friends that are girls Hermione, and I know you don't either. I hope that we could become friends, if that is ok with you"  
  
"I would like that to" Hermione replied. It was the truth, she would really like to have a girl to talk to about some things sometimes. It was great having boys as friends, but there were some things that you just can't tell boys about. And now with Ginny in Romania, she really had no friends who were girls.  
  
She wanted to accept Vixen's offer of friendship, because she was a really nice person, she seemed to be very smart, had a good head on her shoulders. And she was interesting, but Hermione couldn't stop herself from thinking about Harry.  
  
Harry liked this girl. He really liked this girl, it wasn't just a crush, it seemed like so much more. Hermione had never seen Harry look so in love. And this girl was with some one else, and that was hurting Harry.  
  
Hermione didn't know how Harry would react to her being friends with the girl that he was in love with but couldn't have.  
  
But this girl was offering her friendship, and it looked like Vixen needed the friendship as well. Hermione smiled.  
  
"So, you have to tell me everything about you Vixen" Hermione smiled. Vixen couldn't help but laugh. Hermione looked really excited about getting to know her.  
  
"Well, what do you want to know?" Vixen asked as they left the library and headed towards the potions dungeon.  
  
"Friends, family..boyfriend?" Hermione replied. She knew it seemed a little sneaky, but she wanted to get just a little bit of information to tell Harry, anything to make him feel better.  
  
"Oh, I don't have a boyfriend" She replied. Hermione looked at her, slightly confused.  
  
"But, this morning, I saw you hugging Draco Malfoy" Hermione replied. Vixen laughed.  
  
"Malfoy, No, Draco isn't my boyfriend, Draco is my ......." 


	5. The truth about Vixen

Hi, hope there are not to many mistakes in this chapter, Scrubs was on and I couldn't be bothered triple checking. (I did double check however)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Then you just have to work hard for the next thing you want"  
  
Vixen's words were haunting her. Running through her head at a million miles a minute. She couldn't stop dwelling on them, she couldn't kick start her brain, she couldn't get it past the simple sentence, because, truthfully, it meant so much more. Held so many answers to the complications that were flooding Hermione's thoughts and feelings.  
  
It made everything make sense, all of it made perfect sense to Hermione now. Everything that Vixen had shared in the conversation just took so much away from the situation.  
  
Vixen was right, Hermione had completed one chapter of her life, she had succeeded in one of her major goals, and now, she had to move on and work hard towards the next thing that her heart desired.  
  
And the next thing that her heart desired was him. Was Ron. She wanted Ron. Not only as he the next logical step, but he was the next desired step.  
  
There were 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, 672 hours in a month and 8424 hours in a year, and Hermione knew she spent to many of those hours working. She was always at the library, or sitting somewhere with a book in her hand.  
  
So many hours, to many of them wasted. Hermione sighed, and closed her eyes. She did so much work, and she knew that she brought it all on herself. Did she really have to do so much work? No. Did she really have to learn each and every text book word for word before going into a class? Probably not. Did she have to answer every single question and embarrass herself in the process of making herself look impossibly smart? Hell no.  
  
She didn't need to. She didn't need to be a know it all goody two shoes; she didn't need to know every single thing about every single subject. She didn't need the hassle.  
  
Hermione was tired of that. She was tired of the looks people would shoot her as she raised her hand to answer a question, she was sick of people pointing and giggling at her because she was not little miss social. She was sick of being alone.  
  
Well, not completely alone, because she did have great friends. But she wanted more. She wanted a relationship. Hermione had spent the last six years sharing a room with Lavender and Parvati, so she had spent endless hours listening to them exchanging stories and giggling about their various boyfriends.  
  
Stories of stolen kisses and hidden little notes, Hermione had to admit that many times she had been jealous of them. They all had boyfriends, and she didn't. They didn't get the highest marks in the class, but they were all happy.  
  
Hermione wanted happiness. She wanted the happiness that a relationship can bring, she wanted the stolen kisses and hidden little notes, and she wanted it all from Ron.  
  
Ron was offering, he was offering her a relationship, he was offering her happiness, he was offering love, and she had pushed him away. Not completely away, but far enough away that he had not spoken to her since the night in the common room.  
  
They had sat together silently in potions, neither knowing what to say to each other. Actually, neither Harry, Hermione or Ron had spoken to each other all lesson. (Harry was to busy staring at Vixen, who was sitting with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle)  
  
Ron wasn't avoiding her. He was just not talking to her. Hermione knew there was no difference really, but she had technically been avoiding him to. If she had to talk to him in classes, she would say what she needed to quickly, and he would reply just as fast. Hermione had been avoiding his eyes, because she knew that she would find disappointment staring back at her.  
  
Well, he didn't have to be disappointed any more. Hermione stood, not caring who she was disturbing, and turned to leave the library, leaving her books on the table.  
  
The halls were long and winding, and Hermione amazed herself by the fact that she could still get lost in the everlasting halls. But she finally came to a stop outside of the portrait hole. She entered quickly and looked around.  
  
"Where's Ron?" She called. A few people looked up at her and shook their heads. So she turned and ran from the room again.  
  
The school was a big place; she knew that, what she didn't know was where Ron would be. Pausing, she sighed, where would Ron be?  
  
After checking the great hall, Hagrid's hut and the quidditch pitch, Hermione turned back to the school.  
  
But something caught her eye. Some one was sitting on the main stairs of the school. Some one with bright red hair. Hermione smiled, she must have run straight past him. She approached him silently.  
  
Ron was looking down at his hands; it was obvious that he had not seen her speed past him.  
  
"You were right" She told him. Ron looked up at her, a smile tugging at his lips. He hid his excitement and just looked up at her, meeting her eyes for the first time since the incident.  
  
"Yeah, well, I guess there is a first for everything, what was I right about?" He asked.  
  
"I want you" she replied. Ron did a double take. Did he really just hear what he thought that he heard?  
  
"Umm, huh?"  
  
"I didn't know what I wanted. But now I know what I want, and I want you" Hermione replied confidently, but the silence that followed was unnerving.  
  
"Umm, you want me?" He asked. She sighed.  
  
"I want to be with you. I thought that you wanted to be with me to" Hermione began, and then moved to continue up the stairs. "Obviously not"  
  
"Wait" he said, she stopped and looked back at him "Sit down"  
  
After taking a deep steadying breath she sat down on the stairs beside him. He looked at her, and this time he couldn't help his smile as it spread across his lips.  
  
"You want to be with me?" He asked. Hermione nodded. Ron reached out and held her hand in his. "Are you sure about this, because the other night, you didn't seen to sure about anything"  
  
"I am sure. I am sick of pushing things away; I shouldn't have pushed you away. I am sorry, I was just so, unsure, as you aid, but now I am sure, I don't think I have ever been surer of anything in my life" Hermione admitted. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze "I think I might be in love with you to"  
  
"I am glad" Ron smiled, and then placed a soft gentle kiss on her cheek. "You mean the world to me Hermione"  
  
"You mean that much to me to Ron" She replied.  
  
"Things are going to be confusing for a while" he told her. Hermione smiled at him again.  
  
"It will be worth it"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
He watched her from across the great hall as Vixen chatted away with a few random Slytherins.  
  
"Harry, stop staring" Hermione mumbled. He smirked and did as she said, glancing down at his plate. He had taken the food, but he seemed unable to eat it. He didn't even have the strength to raise his fork to his mouth.  
  
No matter how much he tried, his gaze kept returning to the Slytherin table, to her. He wanted to take her all in, to memorize the way her hair flipped when she turned to look at some one, the remember the way her lips moved as she chatted, the way her eyes lit up as she laughed.  
  
"Harry, you are staring again" Hermione mumbled. Harry shot her a dark look.  
  
"You are staring at Ron, but I am not trying to stop you" Harry replied. Hermione blushed and Ron laughed.  
  
"I am not trying to stop her either" Ron replied, laughing. Harry laughed as well.  
  
He had been happy for his best friends when they had told him they were together. Harry had even managed to hold his tongue and not say "About time". But he was also sad. They were so happy together, and he had nothing of that really. He had no one to care for him the way that they cared for each other.  
  
But he didn't want anything like that with any one other than Vixen. He didn't want to talk to any one like they talked to each other unless it was Vixen. His heart was reserved for her and her alone.  
  
But she obviously had some one else in her life. And the other some one else had just entered.  
  
Harry watched Draco, his eyes shooting daggers as the blonde moved to the Slytherin table, sitting down beside Vixen.  
  
Harry continued to watch as Vixen moved away from him slightly. Draco glared at her, and said something. At that instant, Harry wished he could read lips.  
  
After Draco said something else, Vixen shook her head and pushed her plate away from her, standing, she moved out of the great hall. It was only seconds before Draco stood up and followed her.  
  
"Looks like there is trouble in paradise" Harry said sarcastically, a genuine smile breaking out on his face.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ron asked, reaching for more food from the center of the table. Harry indicated with his fork to the door. (He had found the energy to eat again)  
  
"Looks like Vixen is fighting with her boyfriend" Harry grinned. He knew that he shouldn't be smiling, because the breaking of any relationship was sad, but he knew that if Vixen broke it off with that scum Malfoy, then she would need a shoulder to cry on.  
  
"What, didn't I tell you? Malfoy is not her boyfriend....."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Hey, what was that all about?" Draco yelled as soon as they got to the silence and privacy of the halls leading to the slytherin dungeons. Vixen didn't answer, she just kept walking.  
  
"Hey, answer me when I talk to you Vix" He exclaimed.  
  
"Don't call me Vix" She replied, turning to him. He stood in front of her, but they were approximately the same height so there was not much intimidating going on between the two of them.  
  
"Why don't you treat me with respect anymore?" Draco asked. Vixen glared.  
  
"You don't respect me any more, than why should I respect you" She replied. His hands grabbed her arms harshly.  
  
"Now you listen here..." Draco began, she shrugged him off.  
  
"No, you listen, you cant control me. We used to be equals, and then things changed, now, this is the way it is, stop treating me like a little kid" She glared, Grey eyes stared into grey eyes, neither of them daring to look away.  
  
"Is this attitude because of Potter?" Draco asked his voice at a scary level of calm. She narrowed her eyes.  
  
"What are you talking about?" She asked.  
  
"Goyle said that you were talking to him in the library the other day, you looked comfortable together apparently." He accused. Vixen sighed.  
  
"Not that it is any of your business, but I was telling him that he would never have a chance with me...I told him that there was no way we would work" Vixen replied, somewhat sadly.  
  
"Listen, just remember what we said about him, he is bad news...." Draco told her. Vixen glared at him.  
  
"You know, I think you are the one who is bad news Draco" She mumbled, turning again to continue to the common room.  
  
"Does he know who you are Vixen? Who you really are?" He asked. Vixen didn't reply. "I didn't think so. Just remember, when he finds out who you really are, he is not going to want anything to do with you anyway"  
  
"Well, I'll just risk it" Vixen sighed.  
  
"Well, I wonder how long it will take him to find out Vix, or maybe some one should take it upon themselves to tell them" Draco pondered.  
  
"You wouldn't dare!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Wouldn't I?" He asked. "What are you going to do to stop me, Tell Lucius?"  
  
Vixen knew she would have to remove herself from the conversation before she hurt him. So she turned and began to move away. Stopping only to turn back to him, intent on having the last word in the argument.  
  
"You know what Draco, you are some much like dad sometimes, its scary"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Well, come on Hermione, out with it!!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Draco is not Vixen's boyfriend, he is Vixen's brother"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Review now please 


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